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Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis is an eye condition caused by infection or allergies. It usually gets better in a couple of weeks without treatment.
Check if you have conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis is also known as red or pink eye.
It usually affects both eyes and makes them:
red
burn or feel gritty
produce pus that sticks to lashes
itch
water
Conjunctivitis that produces sticky pus is contagious.
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If eyes are red and feel gritty, the conjunctivitis is also usually contagious.
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Conjunctivitis caused by allergies like hay fever makes eyes red and watery but is not contagious.
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If you're not sure it's conjunctivitis
Find out about other conditions that can cause red eyes
How to treat conjunctivitis yourself
There are things you can do to help ease your symptoms.
Boil water and let it cool down before you gently wipe your eyelashes to clean off crusts with a clean cotton wool pad (1 piece for each eye).
Hold a cold flannel on your eyes for a few minutes to cool them down.
Do not wear contact lenses until your eyes are better.
Stop infectious conjunctivitis from spreading
Do
wash your hands regularly with warm soapy water
wash your pillow cases and face cloths in hot water and detergent
cover your mouth and nose when sneezing and put used tissues in the bin
Don’t
do not share towels and pillows
do not rub your eyes
Staying away from work or school
You do not need to stay away from work or school unless you or your child are feeling very unwell.
A pharmacist can help with conjunctivitis
Speak to a pharmacist about conjunctivitis. They can give you advice and suggest eyedrops or antihistamines to help with your symptoms.
If you need treatment for a child under 2, you'll need a prescription from a GP.
Find a pharmacy
Non-urgent advice:
See a GP if:
your baby has red eyes – get an urgent appointment if your baby is less than 28 days old
you wear contact lenses and have conjunctivitis symptoms as well as spots on your eyelids – you might be allergic to the lenses
your symptoms have not cleared up after 2 weeks
Information:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: how to contact a GP
It's still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery:
visit their website
use the NHS App
call them
Find out about using the NHS during COVID-19
Urgent advice:
Get advice from 111 now if you have:
pain in your eyes
sensitivity to light
changes in your vision, like wavy lines or flashing
very red eyes (1 eye or both eyes)
a baby less than 28 days old with red eyes
These can be signs of a more serious eye problem.
111 will tell you what to do. They can arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor if you need one.
Go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111.
Other ways to get help
Treatment from a GP
Treatment will depend on the cause of your conjunctivitis.
If it's a bacterial infection, you might be prescribed antibiotics. But these will not work if it's caused by a virus (viral conjunctivitis) or an allergy.
Some sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can cause conjunctivitis. This type takes longer to get better.
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Page last reviewed: 22 February 2021
Next review due: 22 February 2024
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